Cullerlie Singing Weekend Nominated Who’s Who at the for ‘Event of the Year’ Elphinstone Dr Ian Russell, Director, Ethnology, oral traditions, including singing, music-making, drama he 2007 Traditional Singing Weekend at and speech Cullerlie, held in memory of Tom and Dr Thomas A. McKean, Deputy Director, Anne Reid, was nominated for the archives and research, ethnology, ballads, beliefs, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN SPRING 2008 Tprestigious ‘Event of the Year’ category at the Gaelic tradition, the J. M. Carpenter Collection Traditional Music Awards, held at Fort William research team on 1 November 2007. Competition was very Dr Colin Milton, Associate Director, Hon., stiff and among the other nominees was the Scottish literature and folklore, especially of the Researching, recording, and promoting the cultural traditions of North and North-East Scotland Royal National Mod, which was declared the North East winner. Twelve of Tom and Anne’s family, Dr Julia C. Bishop, NEH & BAc Research together with Ian and Norma Russell, attended Fellow & team leader for: a critical edition of the A short story of up to 4,000 words in length the ceremony, which proved to be an excellent J. M. Carpenter Collection of traditional song and should be submitted by 31 March 2008 to Dr evening combining tributes and entertainment. drama The Toulmin Prize Ian Russell at the address below. Hard copy, Congratulations are due to Sheila Stewart Dr David Atkinson, NEH & BAc Research size A4, should be sent in addition to an MBE of the famous Blairgowrie Travelling Fellow, the J. M. Carpenter Collection research team electronic submission in MS Word. The story family, who was inducted into the Awards’ Hall Dr Elaine Bradtke, BAc Research Fellow, the J. Announcing a Short Story Prize for the North-East should be concerned with some aspect of life of Fame. Sheila is to be one of this year’s M. Carpenter Collection research team Dr Eddie Cass, NEH & BAc Research Fellow, prize of £500 is to be awarded to the winner of a short story competition in North-East Scotland, and may be written in guests at the Cullerlie Weekend, which will be Sheila Stewart held on the weekend of 25-27 July 2008, where the J. M. Carpenter Collection research team set up to commemorate the work of the North-East writer David Toulmin Scots (including Doric) or English, or a she will also be giving an illustrated talk on her family’s remarkable song tradition. Paul Anderson, AHRC Research Fellow in the and to encourage creative mixture of the two. The competition is open to all amateur writers over the age of 16 (NB Creative and Performing Arts, Reconnecting writing. Other outstanding singers have been booked for this year’s event, today’s Scottish traditional musicians with A for the purposes of this competition, a including two others who are from Travelling backgrounds – Jess Scotland’s North-East traditional fiddle styles and The Elphinstone Institute is pleased to David Toulmin professional writer is considered to be one Smith of Crieff, the well-known storyteller and writer, and Viv Legg repertoires announce the launch of a prestigious short on the farm who has had a solo work published with a from Bodmin in Cornwall, who like Sheila is a member of a singing Fiona-Jane Brown, PhD student, researching story writing competition in memory of David recognised UK publisher). The award will be family, the Orchards. Irish singing will be well represented by Rosie Belief in East and West Coast Fishing Communities Toulmin, whose given name was John Reid, made at the WORD Festival at the University Stewart from County Fermanagh and Oliver Mulligan, who is a Jennifer Fagen, PhD student, researching the one of the North-East’s finest masters of the of Aberdeen, 9-11 May, where the winning member of the London Irish community. Another guest from England landscape of the Garioch genre. John Reid (1913-1998) was an story will be read out by a well-known writer. is Sam Lee, who works for the English Folk Dance and Song Society Adam Grydehøj, PhD student, researching Aberdeenshire farm labourer who spent most The winning story will also be published in promoting traditional singing among young people. Other well-respected singers from Scotland Tradition and Cultural Promotion on Shetland of his life in this occupation, working long the Leopard Magazine . include Jimmy Hutchison from Fife, whose roots are in Gaelic tradition but who sings in Scots, Sara Reith, PhD student, George Reid hours for very small rewards. In odd moments The services of four experienced judges have Bill Gray from Peterhead, the 2007 ‘Champion of Champions’ bothy ballad singer at Elgin, Danny Studentship, researching Ethnology and Folklore he jotted down short stories, character studies, been secured - Lindy Cheyne, Paul Dukes, Couper, whose support of traditional music in the North-East has been unstinting for over forty of Scottish Travellers and bothy tales. Eventually as ‘David Norman Harper, and Leslie Wheeler. years, and Shona Donaldson, a finalist in Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year, 2003 Irene Watt, PhD student, researching lullabies Toulmin’ he had a few articles printed in local and 2004, and BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards in 2006. Frances Wilkins, PhD student, researching newspapers. The first of his ten books was For further information about the competition There will also be the opportunity to take part in workshops, several of which are devoted to Sacred Singing in Coastal Communities in North published when he was 59. They consist and eligibility, as well as submissions, contact traditional crafts, including knitting ‘Peterhead Bonnets’, basket making with Alex Sutherland, and North-East Scotland and the Northern Isles mostly of short stories and reminiscences, but Dr Ian Russell, Director, The Elphinstone ‘drystane dyking’ with Dave Bullock, and farmhouse cooking with Shirley Foulkes. There will Alison Sharman, Secretary there is one novel, Blown Seed , which offers a Institute, University of Aberdeen, also be two workshops devoted to singing traditions – ‘In the Fermanagh Tradition’, with Rosie Honorary Research Fellows harsh picture of farm life. His writing is MacRobert Building, King’s College, Stewart, and ‘Sharing the Road’ with Jess Smith and Viv Legg. Dr Mary Anne Alburger, music and song, fiddle powerful, evocative and witty, and he is one Aberdeen AB24 5UA. Tel: 01224-272996. making, 18th century culture of the finest exponents of writing in the Doric. email: [email protected] Places can be booked by downloading a form at www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/ or by phoning Dr Caroline Macafee, Scots Language, Scottish 01224 645486. National Dictionary Association Clickimin Broch, Lerwick Professor Bill Nicolaisen, ethnology, folk Taking Shetland out of the Box IMPORTANT DATES for your DIARY narrative, name studies, Scottish place names Research Associates Sheena Blackhall, Creative writing in Scots A Conference to Explore Island Cultures and Identity Public Lectures Tuesdays at 7.30-9.00pm. Admission £2.00 includes refreshments. Dr Katherine Campbell, Scots fiddle, instrumental On 7-10 May 2009, the Elphinstone Institute, the themes of the conference. Contributors are Marischal Museum, Marischal College and song traditions the UHI Millennium Institute’s Centre for asked to send a title and abstract to the convenor, 26th February 2008 27th May 2008 Evelyn Hood, Scottish traditions of dance Nordic Studies, and the Shetland Museum and Adam Grydehøj of the Elphinstone Institute, at Title: ‘Scots, Language of Kings’ Title: ‘The Old Ship Zion: Using the Trawler Dr David Northcroft, Education in the North East Archives will hold an international, academic [email protected] by the Speaker: Dr Caroline Macafee Radio Band to Transmit Gospel Songs among Stanley Robertson, Scottish Travellers conference in Lerwick, Shetland, based at the deadline, 1 September 2008. The keynote Shetland Museum and Archives. speakers will be the acclaimed Danish writer Svalbard, Channel Islands, Gotland, etc.), Institution: Honorary Research Fellow, North-East Scottish Fishermen’ Dr Robert Young Walser, Maritime musical Taking Shetland out of the Box: Island Cultures Carsten Jensen and the eminent Swedish culturally-insular peoples (the Sami, Scottish Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen Speaker: Frances Wilkins, PhD Researcher traditions, the J. M. Carpenter Collection research team Travellers, French Canadians, Inuit, Swedish Institution: Elphinstone Institute, University and Shetland Identity will consider Shetland’s folklorist Bo Almqvist. 25th March 2008 Les Wheeler, Scots language, education role as a meeting place for cultures and the Finns, etc.), or North Atlantic history and of Aberdeen The conference aims to place Shetland and other Title: Mrs Anna Brown of Falkland: Ballads Postscript influence of these meetings on the formation of culture. There is particular interest in papers geographically and/or culturally insular and Biography If you have any information, comments or suggestions local identity. The identities of other island concerning the interactions of insular peoples communities in context through an Speaker: Professor Ruth Perry of relevance to the work of the Institute, do not hesitate communities and culturally-insular peoples will with other nations and the formation of insular to contact us. interdisciplinary exploration of the elements of Institution: 25-27 July 2008 also be considered. It is anticipated that papers identity and nationalism. It is anticipated that island identity. It will include studies in folklore, The Institute relies on outside financial support to will address calendar customs (especially several presentations will focus on communities Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Traditional Singing Weekend, Cullerlie make many of its activities possible. If you would like to anthropology, history, heritage, geography, and Shetland festivals), folk belief, legend, music, other than Shetland. help us in this way and/or become a Friend of the island studies. Although the conference’s theme 29th April 2008 6 November 2008 Elphinstone Institute, please contact the Secretary. religion, and comparative insular traditions. involves Shetland culture, papers are There will be a conference dinner at the Grand Title: ‘Robert the Bruce as Mythic Hero’ Institute Open Evening, 5.00-9.00pm Other relevant subject areas include insular The Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, encouraged concerning subjects that are not Hotel and an excursion led by Lawrence Speaker: Robert Segal Refreshments & music from Paul Anderson MacRobert Building, King’s College, Aberdeen AB24 nationalism, and cultural influences, including specific to Shetland but concern island Tulloch, who is a native of Yell and one of Institution: University of Aberdeen and friends 5UA Scotland, UK Gaelic, Scottish and Nordic. communities (Faroe, Orkney, the Hebrides, Shetland’s best-known storytellers. For further The Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, King’s College, AbeTrdeel:en01A2B24242752U9A9,6SFcoatxla:n0d1,2U24K.272728 Email: The call is out for 20-minute papers to address Man, Newfoundland, Lofoten, Bornholm, information, see www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/ Tel: 01224 272996 Fax: 01224 272728 Email: [email protected] Website: wwwe.lapbhdin.satco.nuek@/elapbhdinns.taocn.ue k

LANGUAGE • TRADITION • HISTORY LANGUAGE • TRADITION • HISTORY From the Director Hector MacAndrew, a Scots Fiddle Legend

Kearney Guigné. This unique combination he annual meeting of ‘Everything he played, he played with feeling. After I heard him playing “Auld of international academic conference, arts the American festival, and teaching workshops was Robin Gray” I never played it again! His music will live forever.’ Willie Hunter Folklore Society T pioneered and developed in Aberdeen in (AFS) at Québec, 17-21 October 2007, 2001 and 2006 by the Institute, and has proved to be a landmark for the Institute. now achieved its full purpose as a Nine papers were presented by members of convention that moves around the North the Institute and a stand was hosted to Atlantic. Three papers are being presented display the Institute’s work and by Institute members – Paul Anderson is publications. Three papers were given by examining markers of North-East Scottish our PhD students – Frances Wilkins, who fiddle style, Frances Wilkins is exploring discussed ‘The Use of Trawler Radio Band the role of the fiddle at sea, and my own to Transmit Gospel Singing among North- paper, which is one of the keynote East Fisherman’; Sara Reith, who contributions, reflects on the synergy presented ‘Traveller Tradition and the created by performance and academic Hidden Vitality of an Unseen Landscape’; meetings, and the vital contribution of the and Adam Grydehøj, who examined ‘Auto Adam Grydehøj presenting his paper at AFS artist-scholar to our understanding of Correction in the Retelling of a Danish Sacred and the Secular’, looked at traditions of fiddle music in all their varied Legend’. Tom McKean chaired a panel on vernacular performance in North-East manifestations. the J. M. Carpenter Collection with four fishing communities. The conference proved contributions – David Atkinson, ‘Ballad The J. M. Carpenter research team, headed to be an excellent gathering both Manuscripts, Textual Reception, and the by Julia Bishop, are to be the guests of the intellectually and socially, and successfully Condition of Folk Literature’; Elaine American Folklife Center at the Library of raised the profile of the Institute. Bradtke, ‘Two Collectors, One Musician: Congress when they visit Washington, DC, Different Results’; Eddie Cass, ‘The A second conference at which the Institute 19-26 April this year. Amid a busy Hunton Versions of the Sword Dance will be taking a high profile is also in schedule of cross checking individual Play’; and Robert Young Walser, ‘Boxing Canada. The North Atlantic Fiddle items in the collection, members of the Shanties’. Tom McKean’s own paper Convention 2008, ‘Crossing Over’, is being team have been invited to give the suggested that ‘Folklore is Not hosted by Memorial University’s prestigious annual Botkin Lecture, see (Necessarily) about Communication’, Departments of Folklore and Music at St. http://www.loc.gov/folklife/events/ while my own contribution, ‘Between the John’s, Newfoundland, directed by Anna botkin-lectures.html.

s a young fiddler growing up in rural Aberdeenshire, there featuring Menuhin as Hector’s pupil in the art of Scots fiddle. was a handful of Scots fiddlers who really inspired me. Angus Menuhin said of Hector, ‘Surely this man Hector must be one of the From Fiona-Jane Brown Cameron, Willie Hunter, Aly Bain, and Bill Hardie were a most beloved of men, for he spoke with the voice of his people’, and, Afew of them but foremost amongst them was the great Hector ‘When I met this man and heard him play, I knew I was in the MacAndrew, born on the Fyvie Castle Estate in 1903. Although I was presence of Scottish history.’ A Quest for Memories in Formartine Interdisciplinary Approaches.’ Organised by too late to receive lessons from Hector (he died in 1980), I was lucky Though Hector recorded several albums and did numerous radio PhD researcher Michelle Walker and Dr enough to get the next best thing: lessons from Hector’s most broadcasts (his earliest being in the 1920s for BBC Radio in Andrew Edwards, one of the joint directors of acclaimed pupil, Douglas Lawrence. Hector’s wife Elsie once said, he Formartine Oral History Project is Aberdeen), they have never been on CD and none are currently WISCA, those of us who attended enjoyed a ‘Douglas was the only one of Hector’s pupils whose playing I an initiative of the Formartine available to the general public. I now hope to rectify this situation cosy setting in Bangor’s main university Arts couldn’t tell from Hector himself.’ Even before receiving my monthly Partnership, based in Ellon, through the release of an album of Hector MacAndrew playing at his building, a mixture of old and new lessons from Douglas I was well aware that amongst my peers, Hector Aberdeenshire, begun in 2005 with a £35,000 own fireside. In the course of my fellowship I have recorded T architecture, good catering, and great MacAndrew’s playing was considered to be the benchmark against grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The company. Most were from Wales or the interviews with a number of North-East fiddlers and one of these resulting archive, which now stands at 92 which all Scots fiddlers should be measured. English midlands; I was the only Scot. players was Florence Lowie (née Burns) of Aberdeen who had a close interviews, 22 more than the initial projected Hector came from a family with strong musical traditions; his father association with the MacAndrew family and had made reel-to-reel total, will be available from March at the The topics ranged from the problems of Peter, also a fine fiddler, was piper to Lord Leith at Fyvie Castle, where recordings of Hector in 1962. The recordings, which Florence was Turriff, Ellon, and Oldmeldrum libraries. transcription and the closeness of fieldworkers he served as head gardener. His grandfather had been taught the Scots kind enough to loan to me, are in excellent condition. Moreover, I took over in October 2006 as project to their subjects, to actual projects like fiddle by James Mackintosh of Dunkeld, the last pupil of Niel Gow. Hector, accompanied by his nephew Sandy Edmonstone on piano is co-ordinator and, since then, I have met with ‘Nurses’ Voices’ from St George’s Hospital, Hector was therefore heir to a fiddle tradition which stretched right in great form; I’ve often heard it said that Hector never enjoyed public and trained volunteer interviewers from many London, and thesis material including the back to what is known as the golden age of Scottish fiddle music. performance very much but preferred playing informally at his own areas in Formartine, including Turriff, Lewis Cameron, Mary Webster, and Jimmy Dick – history of 1980s computer technology, landed fire side amongst friends. It should be remembered that this recording the first interviewees for the Formartine Project Like many of the great traditional fiddle players, Hector was as at Oldmeldrum, Fyvie, Ellon, Barthol Chapel, families of Wales, and perceptions of memory was never meant for public consumption and small mistakes, false home playing classical music as he was playing Scottish, and he Collieston, Newburgh, and Belhelvie. in the Second World War. My paper, ‘ “Master starts and the clock chiming can be heard at times, but I feel that the information go to http://formartine.pbwiki.com the Tempest Is Raging”: Faith, Fear and Folk received four years of training from J. H. Alexander of Edinburgh. Interviewees have been diverse and fascinating natural playing more than makes up for it; it has feeling, exuberance, or email [email protected] Narrative among Scottish Fishing However, two incidents during the Second World War convinced – Mary Webster, a retired nurse now in her fire, and character, all qualities found in genuine Scots fiddling. Communities’, included three stories from Hector of the need to keep alive the traditional fiddle music of nineties, who recalls attending a Traveller Inverallochy, Stornoway, and Scalloway, and Scotland: hearing a pipe band practising on an adjacent ship on the Florence, Sandy, and Hector’s son Pat have all expressed a desire for woman who gave birth on the floor of a barn, The Day I Went considered how cultural background and way to North Africa and the discovery of a piece of music in the recording to be released on CD and I am currently in discussion Jill Deldie, a Turriff Academy pupil whose personal faith, or lack of it, shaped reactions to packaging outside Tobruk where he was serving with the Royal with a prominent record label who are interested in releasing such a family have a resident ghost, and former players To Bangor the supernatural from the nineteenth century Artillery. The music was a handwritten copy of the tune ‘The Rolling recording in partnership with the Elphinstone Institute. As far as I am of Formartine United Junior F.C., including to the present day. Oral history approaches Spey’, by James Scott Skinner, published in The Harp and Claymore concerned it is not before time; the playing of one of our North-East Ally Shewan who went on to play for Aberdeen. rom 14-15 January, Bangor University’s are clearly relevant to ethnologists and it collection. fiddle legends will be heard not just by our local fiddle enthusiasts but by fiddlers the world over. Anyone will be able to listen to the interviews. Welsh Institute for Social and Cultural is appropriate that links have been The highlight of Hector’s career came in 1974 when he hosted Some clips are already on the project’s website Affairs (WISCA) held an oral history forged between the Elphinstone Institute Mr Menuhin’s Welcome to Blair Castle , a classic BBC documentary Paul Anderson in the form of a podcast. For further Fconference entitled: ‘Testimony and Memory: and WISCA. LANGUAGE • TRADITION • HISTORY LANGUAGE • TRADITION • HISTORY